Gate-latch



M. HAGGAR.

(No Model.)

GATE LATCH.

No. 475,554. Patentd May 24, 1892.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MORYS HAGGAR, OF MARSHALL, TEXAS.

GATE-LATCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 475,554, dated May 24, 1892. Application filed September 21, 1891 Serial No. 406,345- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be itknown that I,MoRYs HAGGAR, of Marshall, in the county of Harrison and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches and I do hereby declare that the followingis afull,clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in gate-latches.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved latch, simple, cheap, and durable in construction, which will automatically lock the gate or door when swung closed and which will firmly hold the same,-whicl1 can be readily opened by hand or otherwise and which is exceedingly cheap, simple, and durable in construction and composed of a minimum number of parts. These objects are accomplished by and this invention-consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations of parts more fully described hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the latch with the front of casing removed, dotted lines showing the position of the parts when the latch is raised by the lifting-bar. Fig. 2 is an edge view with the side of the casing removed. Fig. 3 is a perspective, showing the manner of attaching the latch to the gate-post, dotted lines showing different positions of the parts.

In the drawings, reference-letter a indicates the gate-post provided with the ledge or shoulder b on its inner side, over which the pin rigid with the gate moves.

0 indicates the casing of the latch, shown open at the rear and bottom and consisting of a front plate and sides. The casing is secured to the gate-post above said shoulder or ledge b by screws or other means passed through the casing into the post. The top of the casing is preferably inclined outwardly in opposite directions from the center, as shown, to shed water. The two lower outer corners of the casing are each provided with a rigid bolt or rivet 6, extending transversely through the casing, and beneath each rivet or bolt 6 a strip or shoulder f extends across the ends of the open bottom of the casing to form strips I or shoulders.

g g indicate the two freely-swinging gravitycatches, each composed of a single piece of metal having the straight inner sides and the inclined outer sides, forming an acute angle, with the apex of the angle normally resting on or just above the ledge or shoulder b. Each latch or catch is pivoted to freely swing vertically at its outer upper corner on one of the bolts or rivets e, which form pivots for the catches. The catches are so arranged and proportioned that a sufticient space is left between theirinner straight sides when in their normal position to receive the rigid pin on the gate. The upper inner ends or corners of the two catches extend inwardly at right angles to form the two lifting ends or lugs h, normally resting on a lifting-bar i, which extends horizontally throughout the length of the casing, so that its opposite ends are located above and normally rest on the pivots e at the inner sides of the two catches. The rod j is rigid with and extends upwardly from the center of the lifting-bar 2' through the opening in the center of the top of the casing, and the upper end of this rod above the casing is formed into an eye It, by which the lifting-bar can be raised or to which the wire or other means can be attached to extend to the top of the gate-post, so that the latch can be easily operated by a person on horseback. A cover or plate Z is rigid with the rod 3' to normally cover the opening in the top of the easing, through which the rod j passes.

on m indicate brackets secured to the gatepost at the top of the casing to more firmly hold the casing against strain thereof when pressure is exerted on the gate to force the same open when held by the latch.

The latches are independently movable to receive the pin on the gate from either direction-that is, they will swing upwardly independently when pressed inwardly from their outer edges; but it is impossible to lift them by pressure outwardly against their inner edges, each latch being held against outward strain by its lateral lifting-arm bearing down on the lifting-bar and by its outer edge bearing against its rigid shoulder f and by its pivot 6, thereby rigidly and firmly holding each catch and relieving its pivot thereof of the strain. The lifting-bar is further held by the two pivots e, on which its ends rest.

The catches can be easily and quickly raised to open the gate by raising the lifting-bar through the medium of rod j, thereby lifting the latches by means of their lifting-lugs h. When the parts are released, they will quickly drop to their normal position by gravity.

The extreme simplicity and durability of this device are obvious. It employs no springs and is of great strength and can be easily and cheaply made and sold.

Instead of having the stops f, which engage the upper ends of the outersides of the two catches at the lower outer corners of the easing formed by the walls of the casing, these stops can be formed by securing-screws, as

20 shown on right-hand side of Fig. 1.

rigid stops at the lower outer corners of the case to prevent outward swing of said catches,

the inwardly and laterally extending arms at ;the upper inner end of said catches, and the horizontal lifting-bar normally resting on said pivots and on which said arms loosely rest and provided with the raising-rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 4

MORYS HAGGAR.

VVitnesses:

S. P. JONES, J. F. DAVIS. 

